Thinariel Farmight
Thinariel Farmight is a Blood Elf warlock and an accomplished alchemist in the service of The Sunguard, where she holds rank as Duskward of the Suncasters. She specializes primarily in infernal destruction magics, and holds a great deal of knowledge about demonology and the Twisting Nether. She is also a longtime ranking member of the Reliquary, with experience in expe ditionary oversight and occult research. Much of her history is unknown (or deliberately obscured), but she once held a career in Quel'thalas' academic setting despite having no ties to any noble houses and apparently being common-born. She once held ties to the Scryers as well as the Order of the Black Harvest, but nowadays works and out of Dawnspire Citadel and the Ivory Spire. She is known for her stern manner and pragmatism. Granted a half-acre parcel of land by Esme Sunshard, Thinariel currently lives in a house deep in the woods of Embertree. Her home is warded significantly, and is watched over by something mysterious she has only ever called The Blessing. Appearance A severe and world-weary woman of unusually tall stature, Thinariel strikes an intimidating figure more often than not. There's a measure of steel and fire to her, jaded and scarred by what's visible in her eyes and on her face. Adding to the image is her usual garb - darker colors that cover every inch of skin below the nape of her neck. Wavy hair is cut short, and it is wild, ashen and windblown -- a pale white color. She is pale-skinned herself, with freckles across her nose and cheeks. Aspects of her are.. uncomfortable, or unusual. Her eyes resemble a cat's, with their sharp pupils; her teeth are all sharpened; and though they're gloved and wrapped more often than not, there are claws on soot-blackened hands. To the magically-inclined her presence is something eldritch and terrible, with a fire burning constant and contained in her chest -- evidenced enough by the intermittent smoke she issues in her breath and the intense heat she exudes. Personality To most everyone she meets, Thinariel is a stern and pragmatic woman, private about her personal life and committed to a professional, goal-oriented disposition. Beyond that, however, are a number of things — an incredible force of will that's stubborn as much as it is tenacious, an intense force of personality that lends to her an intimidating charisma. She has a temper that runs hot and fiery, a vindictive nature that rarely forgives, and a restless ambition that's rarely and never fully satisfied. Around people, though, she gives as much respect as she gets. To colleagues she is rational, dependable and open to ideas — perhaps a bit chronically irritable — in regards to work and study; she is cunning, and vainly proud of her intelligence and skill. She banters with friends and allies of equal standing, lending easily to sharp wit and casual vice, whether it be drinking or smoking. Her trust is rare, but meaningful; she commits her passion to herself and the people and principles she cares for, more than any institution or faith. Still, her moods often turn weary, melancholy. She has survived much and suffered more, and it weighs on her heavily, when there is nobody looking. Loathing and regret and sorrow run heavy in her like stubborn poison, and too many of her habits contribute to slow, steady self-destruction when they do not manifest in a reckless disregard for danger. Skills and Abilities Magic Thinariel's sorcery draws from principles of destruction magic, primarily -- the summoning of hellfire in the form of devastating and chaotic offensive spells, designed to lay waste utterly to whatever it is turned on. As a master, she demonstrates expert control over her conflagrations and explosions, and has expanded her repertoire of infernal magic to include the conjuration of derivative elements like smoke and ash. The practice of infernal magic takes its fuel directly from the Twisting Nether, rather than the sacrifice of life; practitioners train to resist its self-destructive nature, and are thusly limited only by their ability to withstand it. Like the felfire to which it is adjacent, hellfire cannot be extinguished except by magic and burns far hotter than any ordinary flame. She has knowledge and skill in other warlock arts, with the use of verbal and material components or by pact invocations; oftentimes she will combine her magic and alchemy, either by the utilization of alchemical substances in her casting, the binding of magic unto a potion, or the creation of a talisman bound with a specific spell. Much of it is based in ritual, and touched by her pyromancy such that in use it appears as smoke and scatterings of red-hot embers, and leaves ashen residue; many of her curses and binding spells share at least an adjacent aspect. She benefits from a strong force of will and an attunement to the Nether, and much of the magical knowledge she's trained in and discovered over the years she's stored in her grimoire, the Tome of Infernal Rites. Demons 'Wrath '''is not a true demon, but rather a homunculus: a magical creature artificially created through alchemy. He takes the form of a raven usually, but can transmute himself at-will into a state of living fire most reminiscent of the phoenixes native to the Firelands. He possesses little personality and will beyond instinct, an ill temper, and the capacity to obey orders. Thinariel often employs him as a scout, or as her primary aide in battle for quick mobile attacks to keep enemies unbalanced and distracted. Rather than being summoned from the Nether, he is bound to a skull-shaped stone engraved with alchemical schemata that recalls his essence upon death. '''Gibsy '''is a fel imp native to Outland, and Thinariel's primary true summon. He is most useful as an interplanar scout, gatherer and messenger, and is an expert at sabotage and avoidance when it is required of him -- or, more simply, to carry out menial tasks. An even greater boon is his self-proclaimed position as the ''Imp King, ''a title earned by his possession of an imp-enthrallment charm despite his own anarchist motivations; currently, he has mustered a decent following. Outside of his royal facade, Gibsy is generally lackadaisical and sarcastic. '''Varuzh '''is a Hellhound, summoned from the infernal plane of Xoroth. He is most useful for his vicious physical power in combat, as well as a hound's heightened senses and proclivity for tracking prey -- especially demons. He is generally animalistic and aggressive in temperament, and is kept on a very short leash. Like other hellhounds, he has the ability to curse a creature by holding eye contact with it for an extended period of time. '''Mirrida '''is a succubus, albeit an unorthodox one when compared to the usual variety. Wielding a flaming scimitar and whip and clad in wickedly-sharp armor, she is a tactical fighter more than anything else, especially with the psychic compulsions she is able to employ (in addition to shapechanging, when subterfuge is required). In personality she is rather charismatic and conversational -- even amicable -- but freely indulgent of vice and casually cruel. '''Kherevax '''is a Xorothian Dreadsteed, sharing a common origin with Arkhorax. Broken into obedience, he is little more than a mount that, by virtue of its demonic heritage, requires neither food nor rest. When traveling more discreetly, his falseform resembles an ordinary horse, with a pitch black coat and towering, powerful physique -- as well as red eyes. Some discrepancies occasionally arise with his shape, much to the horror of anyone unused to him. History Early Life Thinariel was born in the province of Silver Ridge Mountains, alongside her twin brother, Ka'ese. Their home village sat along the region's northern edge, situated between river and grassland and sparse woods -- home to as many merchants as farmers. The death of the twins’ mother shortly after their birth left them in the sole care of their father, Caliand, a merchant of common standing. The twins enjoyed their childhood with relatively little turmoil -- though their father was emotionally distant and often gone for work, they spent a great deal of time with their maternal grandparents in a neighboring village near the province’s Farstrider enclave, as well as their maternal uncle. It wasn't until late adolescence that rancor began to foment, in the family. As Ka'ese’s magic began to manifest with a prodigy’s talent, Thinariel fell more and more into his shadow as their father devoted time to grooming his son. With little to match, Thinariel was left alone and suffered from the neglect, kept from her brother. She eventually turned to petty teenage delinquency, developing a fascination with starting fires and getting into trouble often out of boredom or to provoke reaction from her distant father. Despite this, she found love and often found herself a guest of the village's wisewoman, a retired Firebreak Witch who lived in the nearby woods. Eventually, one incident and its consequences saw her sent away; Caliand arranged an apprenticeship for alchemy in the city of Tranquillien much further north. She fell under the responsibility and tutelage of Maeleth Fireglass, a stern, elderly woman of some prestige among academic circles -- though long retired. Though brewing with discontent towards her household, Thinariel eventually grew to enjoy the apprenticeship and independence, and tempered her troublemaking as she grew into adulthood -- though she never lost her fascination with flame. Academic Career As the student of an alchemist, Thinariel eventually pursued higher education in Thalassian academies and universities. While she struggled against the disadvantages of being commonborn and lacking magical ability, she managed on recommendation from her mentor. She studied alchemical sciences first and with the most depth, but had secondary interests (and largely personal, informal studies) in adjacent sciences, archaeology, mathematics, and knowledge-based understandings of arcanum and magical lore. Though she always had an affinity for fire magic, she rarely surpassed basic proficiencies in application, which was an intermittent source of discontent throughout her life. She eventually held an academic career of good standing, best known for her work in alchemy and science -- especially after she inherited Maeleth’s study and work upon the elder’s passing. She traveled abroad to places like Lordaeron and Dalaran, held attendance in the latter’s Vermillion Order, and was also involved in studying the orcs’ demonsblood lethargy after the Second War. The Fall As the undead hordes marched north, Thinariel fled with other civilians north across the Elrendar and then into the countryside to escape the Scourge. To cover their escape, Thinariel set the forest aflame behind them -- in the present day, its burnt scar can still be seen in the Ghostlands. In the aftermath, she found that her only surviving family were her father and brother; Mytherian and Allanar died holding his post and protecting survivors respectively, and Mevaera was nowhere to be found. She found herself tenuously in the company of her surviving father and brother, whom she had refused contact with for more than three hundred years. Able to manage her addiction because of her lack of magical affinity, she focused on using her alchemy to create infusions of mana to help others sate theirs. When fel magic was brought back to Quel’thalas, Thinariel saw in it a source of power -- for the defense of her people and rebuilding, but also as a replacement for her longtime deficiency in arcane magic. She embraced the warlocks’ arts, and eventually fought in the campaign to fight the Scourge in the Ghostlands from Tranquillien. Her family, however, broke apart again: her brother was one of the elves who refused siphoning, and was thereby exiled. Thinariel had no interest in maintaining contact with her father, who attached himself to the service of a minor surviving Magister. Outland When eyes turned to Outland, Thinariel was one of the blood elven pilgrims who sought Kael’thas’ promised paradise. After traveling through the hardship of Hellfire Peninsula and Terokkar Forest, she was met by a Scryers escort and arrived in Shattrath City. She found work as an alchemist as she acclimated to the city. At first embittered at the true situation of Outland and the Prince, Thinariel resolved to turn her attention to her studies of the fel -- Outland itself was a place of wild magic, and fraught with demons. She kept an intermittent presence in Shattrath among the Scryers, but spent a number of years traveling the shattered continent in search of power and knowledge. She found the Archdemon’s Ember in this way, in the burned-down ruins of an elven research outpost. She came into conflict with the Shadow Council and Burning Legion on a number of occasions, and didn’t always restrict her travels to Outland -- especially with the aid of her Netherwing Drake companion, Malfas. One venture not only ended catastrophically, but ended her time on Outland; after returning from supposed Legion imprisonment at the hands of a demon lord and being flown into Shattrath with horrible wounds, trauma, and a curse that could not be broken by the Scryers’ warlocks, she returned to Azeroth. The Reliquary The Shattering rocked the world soon after Thinariel returned to Silvermoon City. In searching for security and a path forward, she joined with the forming Reliquary -- she had knowledge history and magical lore, and in truth sought to deepen her familiarity with curses and cursed artifacts so that she could find a way to break her own. She participated in the expedition to the Blasted Lands, as well as several other places including the regions around Blackrock Mountain, the Badlands, Stranglethorn Vale, and Desolace. She interfered with the Twilight’s Hammer several times, and at her request was given leave to represent the Reliquary’s interests at Mount Hyjal and on the Burning Front. On Pandaria, she was part of the Reliquary’s expeditions to the Krasarang Wilds as well as the Isle of Thunder, investigating a great deal of lore about the Mogu’s darker magics, alchemy, and flesh-shaping. On Draenor, she spent the most time investigating the Arakkoa and the Apexis -- after having gained an interest in them on Outland, she was already capable of translating Ravenspeech and was knowledgeable in their lore. She played a role in fighting across many fronts, and was known for her formidable fire magic -- as often as she kept many contacts with a number of other warlocks, though, her investment lay primarily with the Reliquary. She gained intimate knowledge of a variety of cursed relics and related lore, but scarcely grew closer to finding a way to break her own -- after her return from the Isle of Thunder, it began to take a steeper and steeper toll from her. Interlude: Starshard In the year preceding the Iron Horde’s advent through the Dark Portal, Thinariel began teaching a student of her own in the dark and infernal arts -- Thradia Starshard, a Magistrix-to-be. As Thinariel’s curse had begun to worsen, she sought some way to preserve her knowledge and power beyond herself. While an intrinsically selfish reason, her relationship with Thradia eventually grew into genuine care and pride over months. They undertook an expeditionary trip to Outland, sponsored by the Magisterium for purposes of studying the wild magic of Outland. Though reluctant to go at first, Thinariel guided her across the continent and assisted the Scryers until -- atop the Hand of Gul’dan in Shadowmoon Valley -- they encountered Vataan, the demon lord who had once upon a time imprisoned and cursed Thinariel so many years ago. She sent Thradia away with Malfas, and wasn’t seen for a number of weeks. She barely survived the ensuing battle, avoiding imprisonment by the skin of her teeth. She was forced to travel through the uncharted Nether to make her way back -- and by the time she did, her wounds were grievous and the curse had worsened dramatically. It took her a great deal of time to recover, and many months more to walk without the use of a cane. It took crossing onto the alternate Draenor to break the curse’s connection to the Twisting Nether, limiting its effects and halting the progression of her demonic corruption. She recovered from the mild withering she had undergone as a result of its strain, before she began working again as Reliquarian. Legion The invasion of the Burning Legion was, for her, not unexpected -- anticipated, even. She fought extensively in a number of the intermittent regional invasions, and soon turned her attention to the Broken Isles. She took an extended leave from her duties to the Reliquary to fight on the Broken Shore -- and despite the disaster that came of it, she joined the forming Order of the Black Harvest soon after. She channeled most of her energy into thwarting the Legion as much as she could, while Malfas left for Suramar in search of a way to satisfy his own addiction to magic. She held a reputation among the Black Harvest as dangerous and especially mysterious -- she went exclusively by alias, never relinquished the mask that covered her face, and kept often to herself in her own demiplane. She often traveled the planes of the Twisting Nether, undermining and sabotaging Legion efforts wherever she could. A reunion with her brother lead to her departure from the order, however -- accused of being a demon herself, they couldn’t recognize each other behind their masks, and fought an unsubtle battle due to misunderstanding. At its end, neither twin could very well know what to do; since being exiled, Ka’ese had become a prominent political official in Dalaran and carried himself in the company of blue dragons. Things changed for the worse when Ka’ese was abducted by the Legion -- more specifically, Thinariel discovered, Vataan. She traced a warpath across numerous scattered places and Legion worlds, until she was forced to revisit the plane she had once been taken prisoner to herself. More powerful than before, however, she freed her brother and retreated to her demiplanar tower -- only to be pursued, forced into a confrontation where she had little choice but to flee, for the third time. Much of the power and resources she had built for herself were lost. Joining the Sunguard Hunted by the Legion with Ka’ese returned to Dalaran, Thinariel had little choice but to keep as low a profile as possible and find someplace -- any place -- in which she could find safety in Quel’thalas. She eventually found herself under the Sunguard’s banner as a Suncaster, taking up residence in the Dawnspire Citadel and working out of the Ivory Spire. She has since taken part in numerous battles, consisting of the Legionfall Campaign, Blood Maul, and several other auxiliary paramilitary ventures. Under its banner, she participated in the assaults on the Tomb of Sargeras as well as Antorus, the Burning Throne. At the Oakvale, she assisted in investigating the Shrines of Chaos and Order -- from the latter of which she absconded from a Titan Watcher's abode with precious samples of Azerite and related alchemical knowledge, which are now in the care of the Ivory Spire. When given a parcel of land for her part in helping cleanse Embertree of its plagued beasts and undead, Thinariel used a decent portion of her funds to build a house in which she now lives. Strangely, her part of the woods seems to attract an abundance of fireflies and death's head moths, the occasional stag, and many silver-colored roses in strange places. The War of Thorns Called to action by her oath to the Sunguard, Thinariel acted as Warcaster of the Crimson Vanguard, taking part in battles across Darkshore before the Burning of Teldrassil. She lent herself to counter-guerrilla efforts along the flanks of the Horde Warmachine, utilizing divinations and broad-scale destruction magic. She would later be seen at the Battle for Lordaeron, menacing siege efforts by Alliance magi. She would withdraw alongside the rest of her fellows of the Sunguard who had been committed to the war, of which her regard has been dispassionate and taciturn, since the return to Quel'thalas. Kul Tiras and Zandalar As the world moved into action to make war on old fronts and make allies on newly-found ones, Thinariel's attention was thoroughly divided between the two continents. On Zandalar, she was called to action by her status as Reliquarian -- an obligation to make contacts with native archaeological functions, delve into the untamed wilds in search for old magic, and carrying out an effort to reach Vol'dun by way of Nazmir in order to facilitate the building of Reliquary survey and portal networks. She made it her business to familiarize herself with not only the herbology and history of the continent, but its magic as well -- with its emphasis on material reagent and invocation of forces beyond ordinary mortal knowing, she found unexpected common ground with Zandalari magical and alchemical practice. Beyond that, her concern for the supposed Blood God is palpable, and she participates in efforts by the Sunguard's Falcon Company to find and destroy targets of note around the bloody swamp. On Kul Tiras, she came to the aid of a night elven witch named Greaves, of Hollowlight Ventures, with whom she had formed a friendship and an unlikely understanding at the year's Tournament of Ages, when she had come into possession of a staff called The Blessing. Working with the company to contend with dark forces that had taken root in Drustvar and Stormsong Valley, she helped uncover the secrets of a cult which had sown discord and foulness through the land by driving a forest god known as the Heart from his home, enslaving and corrupting all of his children into Fallen (save one - the staff she bore, the eldest son, which had been saved by being transfigured into wood) and making monstrosities out of innocent folk. Finding kinship for spirits who had their home scourged and blighted and kinship in fellow long-suffering souls, Thinariel committed to putting an end to the threat of the cult - an effort which became a protracted campaign against often poorly-understood forces and creatures, come to light by the efforts of Hollowlight Ventures. She, along with Greaves and a man named Bartholomew Rust, were cursed by an omen of death when each of them killed a Fallen - a curse which foretold and ensured their respective ends, should they free the last of the Fallen from their misery. It culminated in an unlikely alliance with the stewards of a refuge named ''Ivyhome, which had been guarded from the cult's influence, and a final encounter that saw Thinariel and the rest of Hollowlight performing a ritual to end their curse, cleanse the Fallen, and rob the cult of its power. Its leader -- White Dog, once a woman named Sarah Stroud -- was unceremoniously slain by the misbegotten creatures she had created. Her part done, Thinariel laid to rest the last of the Fallen and departed Kul Tiras, promising future aid to Greaves and her company, should they ask it of her. Gallery Thina_Reference.png Spectr00m Portrait.jpg|''By Spectr00m'' studiofruke portrait full size.png|''By Studiofruke'' Category:Characters Category:Suncasters